Facade Grants Available
The Monticello Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Monticello Economic Restructuring, Inc. (MERI) organizations are offering two $500 grants to downtown businesses in the business district for structural improvements on building façade. Applications can be picked up at the Monticello Visitors’ Center.
The grant will cover painting of the exterior, restoring the façade to its original architecture, or adding a new awning for a building but will not include signage or work completed prior to this grant cycle.
Here is an example timeline for applying:
1. January 19 – pick up application packet from the Monticello Visitors’ Center and obtain a city building permit required by local city ordinance, if applicable to the project. Information is available at the Monticello City Hall/Government Complex. If only planning to do exterior work that is ordinary maintenance (includes painting), work can begin after January 18th and skip steps 3 and 4.
2. Get two cost estimates.
3. February 5 – if planning more exterior work than ordinary repair and maintenance (painting), submit complete Application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) (form is also available at www.monticelloga.org under historic preservation) to City Hall with it date stamped, as there is a 10 day submission requirement, to be put in historic preservation’s box. Or select another Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting date every first (10:30 a.m.) or third (6 p.m.) Thursdays with a 10-day prior deadline.
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4. February 15 – HPC meets at City Hall to review the application. Applicant must be present and must receive approval before submitting façade grant application. Work can begin after HPC approval.
5. March 23 at 5 p.m. – turn in a completed façade grant program application, two cost estimates of the proposed project, and the COA form with HPC approval, when applicable, to Sage Edwards or Tracy Trovillo at the Monticello Visitors’ Center.
6. March 28 – Monticello Downtown Development Authority board meets to select grant recipients.
7. April 2 – Grant recipients are notified in writing. Grant funds are reimbursed after DDA receives copies of receipts or cancelled checks of total project cost. This grant does not advance awards.
8. June 30 – project work must be completed in order to receive grant award.
If more than two applications are received then facades needing improvement the most will be selected first. This will be the only façade grant offered in 2007.
The purpose of this grant is to encourage downtown development, tourism, and increased retail sales with the goal of increasing tourism sales 10% in five years – from $5.49 million in 2004 to $6.04 million in 2009.
For more information, contact Tracy Trovillo at 706-468-0657.